USTA Boys’ 12s Spring National Champion to Compete in Paris, France, May 30-June 1 Against Qualifiers from 15 Countries Around the World

WEEHAWKEN, N.J., (May 25, 2013) – Eleven-year-old Adam Neff’s ultimate tennis goal is not unlike any other top-ranked junior tennis player: He wants to be No. 1 in the world someday.

Considered the No. 1 12-and-under player in the United States, Neff has the top USTA 12s ranking and a recent United States Tennis Association gold ball to prove it, having captured the USTA Boys’ 12s National Spring Championships presented by Longines last month in Delray Beach, Fla.

By virtue of his victory, the Alpha Omega Academy fifth-grader Neff will represent the U.S. in the fourth annual Longines Future Tennis Aces May 30-June 1 in Paris during the first week of the French Open. For the first time this year, the Longines Future Tennis Aces 16-player competition will take place in the center of Paris in front of the Hotel de Ville (City Hall).

In addition to winning an all-expense-paid trip, Neff will compete for the chance to receive financing for his tennis equipment until his 16th birthday, courtesy of Longines. Neff will test his skills against and play against some of the best 12-and-under players in the world as countries such as Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom will all be sending their best for the chance to be named the 2013 Longines Future Tennis Aces champion.

“I want to turn pro and be No. 1,” Neff said before departing for Europe, where he will spend a week training on the red clay in Barcelona prior to the Future Tennis Aces tournament. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of commitment. But when I finally reach my goal it will all be worth it.”

Before leaving for his European adventure, Neff, who is coached full-time by Lance Luciani, took a few minutes to answer some questions.

Question: How did you and Lance meet?

Neff: “I met Lance when I lived in Cincinnati. I met him through a friend of my dad who recommended him. His daughter played tennis too. I lived with him for a summer and now I train with him full-time.”

Q: What are you looking forward to most about your trip to Paris?

Neff: “Well, there won’t be a lot of time for sight-seeing, but just being there for the French Open is going to be amazing. And seeing all the best kids from the other countries will be cool too; to see how strong they are.”

Q: You’ve been featured in Sports Illustrated “Faces in The Crowd” section, interviewed by newspapers and even appeared in-studio on a news-talk station in your hometown. Do you like all the attention you’ve received?

Neff: “It’s great. I love all the attention. It’s pretty cool to be interviewed and to have people ask you questions and see the story in the news.”

Q: What are some of your hobbies besides tennis?

Neff: “I like playing video games and jumping on a trampoline and when I have time I play laser tag.”

Q: How many hours a day to you spend training?

Neff: “I do two hours in the morning, two and a half hours in the afternoon and then an hour of fitness in the evening. So it’s about five and a half hours total.”

Q: Who is your favorite player? And why?

Neff: ”Rafael Nadal, of course. He’s got the most fight and he makes you want to go out and play!”

Q: What is your best shot? And what do you have to work on?

Neff: “My forehand is my weapon, but my backhand and serve are close behind. Let’s say my drop shots are a work in progress.”

Q: How many words do you know in French?

Neff: “‘Bonjour’ is about it.

Q: Any last comments?

Neff: “I just want to thank Longines for all they’ve done and for putting on such a great event. I know Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf are the Longines spokespeople. I hope to meet them someday.”

LONGINES Longines has been based at Saint-Imier, Switzerland, since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations.

Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 130 countries.

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